Driving on holiday
The UK’s leading airport transfer booking site has found that most Brits this year will not hire a car when they’re on holiday abroad; their reason being is that they are too scared.
Airport transfer.co.uk took 2,103 adults from all around the country who had a full driving licence and asked them how often they holidayed abroad, to which the majority, 36%, said ‘once a year’. In contrast, a third, 33% admitted that they travelled ‘less than once a year’ whilst 15% said they went abroad ‘twice a year’. Just 9% of those taking part admitted that they ‘never’ went on holiday abroad.
39% didn’t normally hire a car when they were abroad and 25% revealed that it depended on where they were staying as to whether thy hired one or not. 36% admitted that they usually hired a car when they were on holiday.
41% of those who didn’t hire a car said that it was because they were ‘too scared’ to drive on the opposite side of the road, 31% didn’t like driving in a different country altogether and 22% said that it was not in their budget and it was too expensive to drive abroad.
Those who were uncomfortable driving abroad said it was because they were not familiar with their driving laws and that they worried that the car might get lost or stolen.
Those who did hire a car wanted the freedom to see the country without the restriction of public transport routes (39%) and 29% said that they wanted to get back to their hotel more easily, again rather than relying on buses or taxis.
Those hiring a car, only 29% of them said that they had researched the driving laws beforehand and 37% of drivers had damaged the car while they were away. When the choice came between a hire car and an airport transfer 52% opted for the airport transfer.
Chris Clarkson, Managing Director of airporttransfers.co.uk, had the following to say about the findings:
“As more Britons are set to travel abroad this Summer, we wondered whether or not travellers would opt to hire a car whilst abroad. We were surprised to discover that many were not only uncomfortable, but also unable to afford it; as car hire can definitely be pricey, particularly in the height of the Summer holidays.”
He continued:
“Airport transfers can often be a cheaper and easier option for those not wanting, or are unable to hire a car when abroad. When you take into account the cost of renting, petrol and insurance it really can add up- so transfers are definitely a viable and often more affordable option.”